title: Alcohol-related traffic accidents with fatal outcomes in the city of Sao Paulo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the present study were to characterize fatal traffic accident victims in a major urban center in Brazil and their association with alcohol consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of 907 fatal traffic accident victims in Sao Paulo, in 2005.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adult males between the ages of 25 and 54 represented the majority of cases with positive blood alcohol concentrations (BAC). Overall, males had a higher proportion of BAC and mean BAC than females. Pedestrians, particularly those with no detectable BAC, were typically older than other victims. Most accidents (total and BAC-positive) happened on weekends between midnight and 6 a.m. Considering all victims, 39.4% were positive (BAC over 0.1g/l). When only drivers (automobile, motorcycle and bicycle) were evaluated, 42.3% had BAC over the legal limit (0.6g/l).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol is associated with nearly half of all traffic accident deaths in the city of Sao Paulo, especially for days and times associated with parties and bars (weekends between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.).
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Av Dr Arnaldo, 455 Sao Paulo, SP 01246-903, Brazil. juliocp@gmail.com
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Carvalho Ponce
authors.forename: Daniel Romero
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andreuccetti
authors.forename: Débora Gonçalves
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Vilma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leyton
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001938:Brazil; D002423:Cause of Death; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol